Wind Runner (Vanderbrook Champions Book 1)

by Edmund Hughes

  I am so fucking stupid. She was trying to do better, to not give in to her spryte side. And I went and messed it all up.

  “Hey,” said Tapestry. She sat down next to him on the couch. “It’s okay. You’re still you, Malcolm. Nothing’s changed.”

  She reached over and squeezed his hand. Malcolm looked over and saw the concern on her face. He was glad she was there.

  “Thanks,” he said. “Have Multi or Morph gotten in touch with you?”

  “I told them that we were calling off the search for tonight,” said Tapestry. “We’ll pick up where we left off tomorrow.”

  She’d found a broom in his closet, and was sweeping the floor in front of the window. Malcolm watched her work, contemplating what to do next.

  I can’t find Rose if she doesn’t want to be found. And if she meant what she said… about using me… maybe I shouldn’t bother worrying about her.

  “Malcolm.” Tapestry emptied the dustpan in the garbage can and walked back over to him. “I know you’re still recovering from all you’ve been through today, but I have to ask. Why was there a spryte in your apartment?”

  Malcolm gave a slow shrug. He didn’t have to lie to her this time.

  “I don’t know,” he said.

  He didn’t know, honestly, how things had ended up the way they had with Rose. Had he just been naïve and foolishly hopeful to think that she could coexist with him? Or had it been hormones, the fact that she was beautiful and open to his advances?

  He looked up and saw that Tapestry was still watching him, waiting for something more. Malcolm gave her an apologetic smile and leaned back on the couch, wanting nothing more than to sleep, while knowing that he probably wouldn’t be able to.

  “I already texted Melanie to let her know that I’m here,” said Tapestry. “I’ll stay with you tonight, Malcolm. In case anything else happens.”

  “Thanks.” He smiled at her. “I appreciate it, Aubrey.”

  Malcolm choosing to use her real name had an interesting effect on her. Tapestry blinked a couple times and then smiled, a very slight blush rising to the surface in her cheeks.

  “I can cook dinner, if you want,” she said. “And if you don’t mind, dessert, too. I need to do some baking.”

  “Be my guest,” said Malcolm. “Though I can’t promise I have all that much for you to work with.”

  He sat with her in the kitchen while she worked. It felt strange watching someone new pulling out pans and rifling through his fridge.

  “I feel like a child,” said Malcolm. “Sorry for making you baby me like this.”

  Tapestry smiled at him.

  “Don’t be,” she said. “You’ve been a champion for what? Three days? It took me a year to really come into myself after I got my powers.”

  Malcom let his eyes linger on hers for a moment.

  “Tell me about it,” he said. “Really. I want to hear.”

  Tapestry seemed to consider it for a moment before giving a slow nod. She looked so young, and yet her expression held so much depth and maturity.

  “It was like waking up from a dream,” she said. “I’m not sure how else to explain it. I wasn’t fully lucid for the last, well, decade or so, before I discovered my gift.”

  “Wow…” said Malcolm. “That must have been really hard.”

  Tapestry shrugged.

  “Not for me,” she said. “For the people around me, I’m sure it was. For Melanie, and her brother Miles, and her mother, who was my granddaughter…”

  Her expression grew forlorn, and she turned back to cooking dinner.

  “Melanie told me that… they were killed,” said Malcolm. “That you lost most of your family in a demon attack.”

  Tapestry nodded.

  “Some kind of earthquake demon,” she said. “Destroyed a bridge. Killed hundreds of people stuck in bumper to bumper traffic.”

  I’m just drudging up her bad memories. Maybe I shouldn’t ask anymore…

  “I wanted revenge too, Malcolm,” said Tapestry. “Eventually… I realized that it’s not something that will change anything. It won’t bring anyone back.”

  He didn’t say anything to that. While he didn’t disagree with her, Malcolm wasn’t prepared to give up on his vengeance, especially not with how close he was to it.

  “There’s more to life than fighting,” continued Tapestry. “That’s the most important lesson I’ve learned since getting my powers.”

  Malcolm walked over to the counter, standing next to Tapestry as she split her attention between the chicken sizzling in the pan and a bowl of cookie dough.

  “Is there, though?” he asked. “I feel like I was given my powers to change the world. To make it better for people. Assuming I was given them for a reason.”

  She smiled knowingly at him.

  “I think there is,” she said. “I don’t embrace my religion as much as I used to, but I still believe. Everything happens for a reason, Malcolm.”

  She turned a spoon over in the cookie dough. Her eyes had a faraway look to them, and it captivated Malcolm’s attention.

  “Those first few months after I got my powers were deeply spiritual for me,” said Tapestry. “Did… Melanie tell you much about them?”

  “She said something about you aging backward,” he said.

  Tapestry nodded.

  “I probably lost about a year each day. Nobody had any idea what was going on. I didn’t think it was going to stop until I… well, passed the 98th day and went back to the time before I was born.”

  “Jesus…”

  “Melanie was there with me,” said Tapestry. “Encouraging me. Supporting me. Caring about me, even when she couldn’t understand what I was going through, or how it was going to end.”

  The food was almost done. Tapestry turned the burners off, shifting her full attention back to Malcolm. He stared at her, sensing how much she cared about him and feeling a little exposed.

  “You were alone before this started,” said Tapestry. “Weren’t you?”

  The question caught him a little off guard. Malcolm chewed his lower lip, glancing down at the floor.

  “I guess,” he said. “I don’t know. I never really felt like I needed anyone else.”

  “You can trust me, Malcolm. To be here, with you.”

  She stepped in closer to him, pulling him into a hug. Her body felt so soft against his. Her figure was petite, and there was something ironically girlish about it.

  “I do trust you,” he said.

  Malcolm kept her against him, even as they pulled back slightly. He let his hand slide up her cheek. The air between them pulsed with the tension of the moment. He leaned in and kissed her softly on the lips.

  CHAPTER 35

  Tapestry looked completely and utterly caught off guard.

  “You just kissed me,” she said, almost making it sound like a question.

  “I did.” Malcolm smiled, and went in for another.

  She held up a hand, pressing it to his lips. She kept it there for a second, and then slowly let it drop, allowing his lips through. He kissed her again, and felt her kiss back. It went on for longer this time, but again, she pulled back.

  “I’m old enough to be your-”

  Malcolm kissed her again before she could finish. Tapestry let out a soft, slow moan as he ran his hand down her back, pulling her more tightly against him.

  “You’re young again, Aubrey,” he said. “And when you’re young, certain things just… happen.”

  Malcolm groped at her butt and pushed his crotch forward. He was incredibly turned on, and suddenly felt as though he needed to have her. He tried not to think about whether it was out of a true attraction to Tapestry, or a need to fill the hole of losing Rose. He could think about that later.

  “You’re…” Tapestry slid her hand between his legs, her expression shifting to shock as she felt his hard bulge. “Already? We just started kissing?”

  “Have you forgotten what young men are like?” asked Malcolm. �
��You should take it as a compliment.”

  “Malcolm!” she said, sounding offended by his tone, if not his words.

  “Tapestry,” he replied. “Aubrey.”

  He gave her a deep, passionate kiss, lifting one of her legs so he could grind his hardness into her crotch. Tapestry was wearing jeans, and he lets his fingers play over the button and zipper.

  “We’re coworkers,” whispered Tapestry. Malcolm kissed her neck, and she let out a tiny, pleased moan.

  “We’re all alone,” he whispered. “In my apartment.”

  He groped at her breasts. They were on the small side, but each a solid handful, and very perky. Tapestry bucked her hips forward against him. It was all the encouragement he needed.

  Malcolm spun Tapestry around and bent her over the counter. He unzipped her jeans and pulled them down roughly, and then almost burst out laughing.

  “Interesting choice,” he said, eyeing the very modest, old fashioned pair of panties she had on.

  She glared at him over her shoulder, blushing furiously.

  “I suppose if you don’t like them, you should just… take them off me.”

  “With pleasure.” Malcolm slid his fingers into the waistband, teasing her for a couple of seconds before sliding them down. Tapestry’s butt was amazing, and he had to take a couple of seconds to pull his jaw up off the floor before doing anything else.

  “Malcolm,” she said. “This feels…”

  “How does it feel?” Malcolm had his jeans and boxers down. He pulled her legs open a little wider from behind, pushing the tip of his erection into position.

  Tapestry shivered.

  “Well?” asked Malcolm, sliding into her slowly. “How does it feel?”

  Tapestry either couldn’t answer, or didn’t want to. She leaned her head forward against the counter. Malcolm slid in deeper, running one hand through her hair while the other groped at her breasts.

  She was tight, almost painfully so, but she was also wet and ready for him. Malcolm slowly started pumping into her, feeling her butt jiggle slightly with each thrust. Tapestry’s body was lean and athletic, and it made it all that much more pleasurable and active.

  “Oh god, Malcolm!” she moaned. “Oh…”

  He built up a rhythm, keeping her pinned as he unleashed the onslaught of his tool. Tapestry braced herself against the counter, pushing back. She only had on a t-shirt, and it made her look like a slutty college student, bending over to let a frat bro have his way with her.

  Malcolm pulled back a little too far and missed her hole on a forward thrust. Tapestry rubbed his leg and spun around, kissing him and making an adorable attempt to go on the offensive. Malcolm let her control the pace for a second, cupping her cheek and kissing her gently, and then grabbed her by the thighs and lifted her into the air.

  “Oh!” cried Tapestry.

  She was small enough for Malcolm get inside while holding her, but that wasn’t what he had in mind. He carried her into the living room, and the two of them collapsed onto the couch, Tapestry underneath him.

  It only took a second for him to get going again, and then they were moving together. The pace of it was faster this time, Tapestry bucking her hips to meet his thrusts. She draped her arms over his neck and buried her head against his shoulder, squealing as Malcolm ruthlessly pounded her.

  “Oh god!” Tapestry let out a couple of shaky, quick breaths, and had one of the cutest orgasms Malcolm had ever seen.

  He slowed down, slowly sliding his rod in and out of her tight hole. It almost felt like she was stroking him off, but wetter and hotter. He went slow, giving her a break, and after a minute of edging himself up, he reached his limit.

  “Aubrey,” he moaned. “Mmm…”

  He wanted to pull out and do the sensible thing, but it didn’t happen in time. Tapestry had recovered enough from her orgasm to make an annoyed face, but it was halfhearted. Malcolm luxuriated in the pleasure, embracing her with his tool still inside, the two lying together on the tiny couch.

  “Maybe I have forgotten what young men are like,” whispered Tapestry.

  “Well,” he said. “I’m sure you’ll have plenty of chances in the near future to remember.”

  She smiled at him, and then frowned.

  “I probably shouldn’t tell Melanie about this,” she said.

  “She’s not stupid. She’ll probably figure it out even if you try to keep it secret.”

  “Maybe,” said Tapestry. “Maybe not.”

  She leaned her head against his shoulder. Malcolm sighed and tried to empty his mind.

  What was the point of this? Do I feel something for her that’s real, or am I just mad at Rose?

  He couldn’t answer his own questions, and decided not to try to, at least not yet. He closed his eyes and accepted the peace he and Tapestry had found… for a couple of seconds.

  “Is that… smoke?” he asked, sniffing the air. Tapestry blinked her eyes open and furrowed her brow.

  “That’s definitely smoke,” she said. “Do you think…?”

  “The heat demon!” finished Malcolm.

  He jumped up from the couch and gathered his clothes.

  CHAPTER 36

  “Malcolm, we won’t stand a chance against it. Think about what we’ve seen this demon do!”

  Tapestry stood in front of the door, her clothes back on and arms outstretched.

  “I am thinking about what I’ve seen it do,” said Malcolm.

  The aftermath of what it did to my family. I saw that.

  “You’re going to get yourself killed!” she hissed. “Multi’s strategy is solid. We should focus on luring it out of town, away from people. Once we have it isolated, we can call in help from the Champion Authority to put it down.”

  Malcolm forced himself to take a deep breath. His heart was pounding in his chest, and he wasn’t sure whether it was from fear, or excitement. It was the emotion of vengeance, and there was something unique and determined about it.

  “Tapestry, I’m going out there,” he said. “You can either come with me, or get out of my way.”

  She glared at him, but relented.

  “Promise me,” she said. “That you won’t attack. At least not right away. Give me time to call in Multi and Morph. We can still make the strategy work.”

  “I promise,” said Malcolm.

  Fingers crossed. Sorry, Tapestry.

  The two of them headed out onto the street and followed the smoke. It wasn’t hard, especially as they drew closer and heard the sounds that went with it. Malcolm could hear the scraping of metal, like a car crash. He could also hear the roar of fire and, of course, the screams.

  He started to round the final corner when Tapestry grabbed his shoulder and pulled him back. She brought his face in close to his. Malcolm briefly thought she was going to kiss him, but instead, she just whispered something.

  “We split up,” she said. “Head the demon off from both directions. We watch it, and wait for the others to get here.”

  Malcolm nodded, though he had his own ideas. Tapestry doubled back down the street. He knew it would take her at least a minute to get into position. He licked his lips.

  The heat demon stood in the center of one of Vanderbrook’s largest streets, basking in mayhem. The monster wore a jacket with a hood, which it kept over its head. A half dozen bodies, along with at least twenty charred and mangled cars, were displayed around it in a circle. Fires blazed inside all the nearby buildings, and everywhere, people were screaming.

  Malcolm took a deep breath and swallowed. Many of those people, or at least their loved ones, would go on to live with the same emptiness that he’d lived with for the past five years. He wasn’t alright with that.

  He broke into a sprint, pushing himself forward with the wind, knowing that he’d only get a single chance at what he intended. He was approaching the demon from its blind side, which meant that he got a free hit. All he needed to do was make it count.

  Malcolm manipulated the wind, ca
lling several sharp, steel shards from one of the mangled cars. For a moment, he swirled them around him, as though he was standing at the center of a tiny tornado. Then, drawing within a dozen paces of the demon, he threw his hand forward, and the metal shrapnel along with it.

  The heat demon reacted faster than Malcolm would have thought possible. It spun, turning to face Malcolm and sweeping up a hand. The air wavered with heat, melting the metal into molten puddles. The demon’s hood blew back from the wind, and Malcolm saw its face. He stared, in disbelief, at the face of his own brother.

  “Finally!” shouted Danny. “Fucking shit, Malcolm. I’ve been trying to draw you out for days now! Thought you’d never take the hint!”

  CHAPTER 37

  Malcolm shook his head slowly, too stunned by the revelation to think, let alone act. Danny’s face had been easy for him to remember, given how many photos his brother had left on the internet in his wake. The dark eyes, the strong jaw, the undeniable features of his brother Danny.

  It was hearing his brother’s voice that shook him to the core, along with Danny’s manner of speaking. He swore a lot. He was a fan of crude puns and playful insults. He was an asshole, which most people who’d known him would have openly admitted. And he was standing right in front of Malcolm.

  “Come on, little bro,” said Danny, chuckling. “Don’t look so fucking surprised! You remember how tough I was! Shouldn’t have given up on me.”

  “Danny…” Malcolm forced himself to breathe, focusing back on the situation at hand. “What are you doing here? You… can’t be doing this.”

  Danny laughed and walked in closer. It was only then that Malcolm saw the features that weren’t a part of his memory of his brother. Danny’s skin was a light shade of red, as though he’d gotten a sunburn over his entire body. His skull underneath his black hair was misshapen. Tiny, spike like bumps pushed up against the skin, giving him the appearance of having a demonic crown.